Truck-body-door latch.



G. A. WOOD.

TRUCK BODY DOOR LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED sEPT.25. I9I6.

Patented Apr. 24,1917.

UNITED OFFICE.

GARFIELD n.' woon,l or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

` Specication'of Letters Patent.

'Patented Api. 2 4, 1917.

Application med seltember a5, 19`1'6. serial N0. 121,911.

To all whom it may concern.' 'e i f Be it known that I, GARFIELDy A.- WOOD, a citizen of the United States, and residing.

at Detroit, in the county of lWayne and State' of Michigan, have invented 'a new andr Improved Truck-Body-DoorjLatch, of which the following is a specification.

It is' common practice to tilt the bodies of trucks aboutv pivots located near the rear en dq of the chassis for 'the purpose of dumping;- it is-al'so common practice to providelthe rear ends of these bodies with doors ,which4 swing about horizontal pivots located near the upper edges thereof. When the. front end of the body is elevated and the door released (particularly when the front wheels of the truck standen a higher surface than the rear wheels), the latter is swung by vgravity into a vertical plane andv away from the latching means located on the body, con sequently,\ it is necessary for the driver to goto the lrear of the 'truck and swing the door inwardly into engagement with *the latching means before the latching can again take place. The object of the present Inypntion is torprovide -latching means whereby the' door may be readily returned to closed position and locked from a point inY proximity to the front end of the body,

preferably from a point within reach of'a driver sitting on the seat; other objects are to provide means whereby the diiculty ordi` narily incident to releasing the door (due to mentary section on about`the line 2-2 of-v Upon the rear end of each of thev side bars 1 of the truck is rigidly secured a bracket 2 having a pivot 3 about which al body 14C-'may be; swung vertically vfor dumping purposes ybyfmeans of a 'suitable hoisting-'meana'designated 5` as a-whole; and the body maybe. provided at its lower side with the longitudinal frame pieces 6 so arranged as to rest, rwhen m'lowered position, either on the side carried vate the frames 1 vori,in specialhchairs (not shown) carried thereby. This general construction l is Well known.

The details ofthevbod'y may be widely varied-as shown, it is of a curved or substantially semi-cylindrical transverse cross section and its rear end is provided with an encircling or reinforcing angle iron 8 having an. out-turned ange' 9 against which the edge'of the door seals. The latter is formed of a sheet metal'body portion 10surrounded by a, reinforcingv strap or bar 11,- near its upper edgeinward'ly projecting hinge straps 12 inclose the pivot bolt 13which passes.

through the angle iron 8 'and extends across the body from side to side.

4 Spaced from and'\ secured to the lower portion-of the rear end of the body, for example, by means of bolts or rivets 15, is a stirrup 16 which constitutes a guide for the longitudinallyextending portion. 18 of a latch bar that also passes througha substantially vertical guide slot of suitablelength in thevflange 9v and includes at itsearendva hook 19 that, when in locking position, overhangs a striker plate or reinforcing bar 20 which -extends across and is riveted to the 4rear face ofthe door.

The front end of the portion 18 of the latch barmerges into the tends at about right angles'thereto and is pivotally connected at 22 tothe connectin rod 23.v The latter extends to the front en of the body and is there pivotally connected at 24 to an arm 25 which is rigid with a down-turned arm 21 which preferably exshaft 26 carried in bearings 28 and having an operating armor hand lever 29, th upper end l'of which stands out away from the front end of the body to allow it to be easily seized. Itwill be understood that the shaftA 26 extends across to the opposite side of the body and is there connected to latch mechanism the duplicate of that shown-thus one handlever actuates both latches. The normally straight connecting rods 23 are resill. ient, and'.l havetheir intermediate portions in guides or clips 30 secured'to the body..

eration: The'partsnorm'ally stand in -theositions shown, from whichrit will be seer'that the` rods 23 tend to Iswing thearms v25 and A29 counterclockwise (Fig. 1) and hpld the latter snugly against thefront end of the body. Ina somewhat similar mantherear en ds of the rods tend to elener,

front ends of the latth bars 1'8-j2l,

Ioo

which, swinging about the stirrup 16, retain straight backward until the portion 21 enl gages the stirrup 16,.which allows the door be applied to a vehicle in which'the body A"rear of the latter.

'to swing out far enough to let some of the contents escape, thereby greatly reducing the pressure on the doorand allowing the hook to'be readily detached from the striker,

whereupon the thrust in the rod 23 overcomes v the tendency of the latter (because of its resiliency) to hold the hook 19 down and positively swings the latch bar clockwise in the stirrup. The door is then free to swing wide open. Assuming that the front end of the body is now lowered, the door of course swings inwardly, but often, because ofthe configuration of the surface on which the vehicle stands, or warping of fthe`dogr, fails to reach the end of the body. However, the length of. longitudinal movement of the bars 18 through the stirrups isfsuch that atthe initial part of the upward swinging movement of the handle 29, the resiliency of the rods '23 causes thev bars 18 to swing down upon the bars 20 with the hooks '19 to the" Continued movement of the handle then draws the bar 18-19 directly forward until the door -is irmly seated against the lange 9,after which va slightly further movement brings the pivots24 above the lines joining the pivots 26 and guides 30, in which position the parts are automatically locked by the resiliency of the rods. By roperly manipulating the lever 25-29, the

oor may be allowed to swing partly open, the hook still bein maintained in holding relation to thestriler, thus providing a restricted end gate particularly useful in disfJ tributing stone or the like in -a layer overthe roadway. Y

It will be seen that the handle 29 may be grasped by a driver sitting on the seat 31. y i

The details of the device may obviously be changed without departing' from the spirit of the invention', for example, while particularly suitable in connection with vSwingin bodies, the latch mechanism may is fixed/to the frame, that is, non-pivoted; I do not, therefore, wish to be limited except l as indicated by the subjoined claims.

I claim 1. In combination with a vehicle body arranged to be swung about a horizontal axis,

vnear the rear end of the vehicle and having at its rear end a door arranged to swing about a horizontal axis located near the upper edge of thebody, means for latching the door located below theV last mentioned axis, said means including a latch bar having a sliding movement longitudinally of said vehicle and also having a swinging movement, and means associated with said latch bar for vsliding the latter rearwardly a predetermined distance from the position it .occupies when the door is entirely closed and thereafter positively swinging said latch bar out ofthe path of the door, wherebythe latch bar is caused to positively release the door after the latter has swung to partly open position.

2. In combination with a vehicle body arranged to be swung about a horizontal axis near the rear end of the vehicle and having at its rear end a door arranged to swing about a horizontal axis located near the upper edge of the body, means for latching the door located below the last mentioned axis, said means including a striker on the door, a guide on the body), a latch bar cooperating with the striker and having a sliding movement in said guide longitudinally of said vehicle and also having a swinging movement in said guide, and an operating rod pivotally connected to the latch bar whereby the latch bar, in latching the door, is first swung into engagement with the striker and afterward drawn forward by a sliding movement until the door is closed, and a hand lever also pivoted to. theI operating rod, said hand lever being.

means.

3; In combination with a vehiclebody arranged to be swung about a horizontal axis and having a door arranged to be swung about an axis substantially parallel to the first mentioned axis, means for latching the door located below the lastmentioned axis,

said means includin a striker on the door, a latch bar cooperating with 'the strlker and having a sliding movement and also having a swinging movement, anoperatlng rod piv-` otally connected to the latch bar, and means associated with said latch bar and `coperating ``withsaid operating rod to positively swing the-latch barout of the path of the striker after the latch bar has been slid rearv.

wardly a predetermined distance.

4. Inu combination with'a vehicle body arranged to be swung about a horizontal axis yand havinga door arranged to be swung about anaxis substantially parallel tothe first mentioned axis, means for latching the door located below the last mentioned axis, said means including a striker onthe door, a guide on the body, a'latch bar coperating W1th the striker and having a sliding movement in said guide and also having a swinging movement in said guide, 'anoperating rod pivotally connected to the latch bar whereby the latch' bar, in latching the door,

is irst swung into engagement with the striker and at'terward drawn by a sliding movement until the door lis closed, and a hand lever also pivoted to the operating rod, said hand lever being movable to a position in which the door is closed, said body including means 'or limiting the movement of said hand lever in the direction stated, and said rod being arranged to automatically retain the lever in engagementv with the movement limit-ing means.

5. In combination with a vehicle body arranged to be swung about a horizontal axis and having a door arrangedl to be swung about an axis substantially parallel'to the rst mentioned axis, means for latching themounted hand lever supported by the bod)rr and pivoted to thev operating rod, and a. guide for an intermediate portion of the rod, said guide beingv out of alinement with the line Joining the point at which the rod is connected to the latch bar to the point at, which it isconnected to the lever whereby the latch bar, in latching the door, is first swung into engagement with the. striker and afterward drawn by a slidingmovement un'- tilthe door is closed.

6. In combination with a vehicle body arranged to be swung about a horizontal axis and having a door arranged toswing about an axis substantially parallel. to the yfirst mentioned axis, means for latching the door located below the last mentioned axis, said means including av striker on the'door, a guide on the body,fa latchv bar slidable and swingable in said guide, said latch bar including a hook for cooperation `with the striker, a body portion passing through the guide and an arm extending atan angle to the body portion, an Aoperating rod supported on the body and pivotallyconnected to said arm, means for manually moving said operating rod, said rod being arranged to normally urge the. bodyportion o they latch bar into engagement withthe-stril er, and servin -to first slide the latch bar in the guide unti the arm :contacts therewith and thereafter-to swing the-latch bar away from the striker to `release thelatter;

7. In combination with a vehicle body arranged to be swung about a horizontal axis and having a door arranged to swing about an axis substantially parallel to the frst mentioned axis, means for, latching thel door located'belowthe last mentioned axis, said means including a striker on thedofo'r, a guide on the body,v a latchvbar Aslidableand fof the bell crank and to an arm on ',bar, and a guide for an intermediate porswingable in said guide', said latch bar including a hook for coperation with the striker, a body portion passing through'the guide and an arm extending at an angle to the body portion, an operating rod pivotally connected to said arm, the line joming the ends of said rod -being appreciably out of alinement with said guide, said rod tending, when the arm of the latch bar is in engagement with the guide,A to swing the latch bar away from the striker and tending in all other positions of the latch bar to maintain the latter in close engagement with thev striker, whereby the striker may first be seize-d and then drawn toward the body to close the door.

8. In, combination, Aa vehicle body arranged to be swung about a horizontal axis near the rear end of the vehicle, said body having a reinforcing bar extending peripherally about its rear end, said bar having an .out-standing slotted flange, a connecting member passing across the body from side to side near the upper rear edge, a door pivotally hung on said connecting member, said door being adapted to seat against the slotted lHange, a striker on said door, a guide carried by the body adjacent the slot in the lflange, a latch bar having sliding and swinging movements in said guide and slot and including an arm at an angle to the remainder thereof, a forwardly extending operatin `rod pivoted to the arm, manually contro led means, operable in all positions of the body, for moving the rod longitudinally of the body, said rod, when in rearmost position, causing the arm to contact with the guide and swinging the remainder of theV bar away from the striker, and when in other positions tending to swingthe bar about the guide and into contact-with the striker whereupon the bar may be drawn forwardly by said rod substantially longitudinally of the Vehicle. Y

9. In combination with a vehicle body arranged to be swung about a horizontal axis and having a door arranged'to swing about an axis substantially parallel to the rst mentioned axis, means for latching the door located below the last mentioned axis, said means including a striker onv the door, a hooked latch bar mounted to swing on the body, into engagement with the4 striker, a -bell crank pivotallyv mounted on the body, a

portion of the bell crank being adapted to l engage a portion of the body, a connecting rod pivotally connected to another portion the latch tion ofthe rod, .the line between said guide andthe pivotk whereby'the rod is joined to the bell crank being so positioned with reference to the ivot vfor the bell crank as to automatically old the bell crank tightly inengagement with the body" when the .latch rod pivotally connected tothe latch bar, and

means associated with said latch bar and cooperating with said operating rod to positively swing the latch bar out of the path of the striker after the lat-ch bar has been slid rearwardly a predetermined distance.

l1. In combination with a vehicle body having at its rear end a door arranged to swing about a horizontal axis located near the upper edge of the body, means for latching the door located below the last mentioned axis, said means including a striker on the door, a guide on the body, a latch bar cooperating with the striker and having a sliding movement in said guide longitudinally of said vehicle and also having a swinging movement in said guide`r and an operating rod pivotally connected to the latch bar whereby the latch bar, in latching the door, is .first swung into engagement with the striker and afterward drawn forward by a sliding movement until the door is closed, and a pivotally mounted hand lever also pivoted to the operating rod, the center about which the hand lever swings being located between the ends of the operating rod,

and said operating rod being arranged to be swung by said hand lever across the line joining the rear end of said rod to said center in closing the door for automatically retaining the hand lever in position.

12.'In combination with a vehicle body having a door arranged to be swung about al horizontal axis, means for latching the door cooperating with the latter at a different level from that of the axis, said means including a striker on the door, a guide on the body, a latch bar cooperating with the striker and having a sliding movement in said guide and also having a swinging movement in said guide, an operating rod pivotally connected to the latch bar, a pivotally mounted lever pivoted to the operating rod, and a guide for an intermediate portion of the rod, said guide being out of alinement with the line joining the point at which the rod is connected to the latch bar to the point at which it is connected to the lever whereby the latchV bar, swung into engagement with the striker and afterward drawn by a sliding movement until the door is closed. A

13. In combination with a vehicle body having a door at its rearend arranged to be swung about a horizontal axis located near in latching the door, is first the upper edge of the door, means for latching the door cooperating with the latter at a point below the axis, said means including a striker on the door, a guide on the body. a latch bar slidable and swingable in said guide, said latch bar including a .hook for cooperation with the striker, a body portion release the latter whereby said 'door may be made to constitute a restricted end gate.

14. In combination with a vehicle body having a door at its rear end arranged to be swung about a horizontal axis located near the upper edge of the door, means for latching the door cooperating with the latter at a point below the axis, said means including a striker on the door, a guide on the body. a latch bar slidable and swingable in said guide, said. latch bar including a hook for cooperation with the striker, a body portion passing through the guide and an arm extending at an angle to the body portion, and means whereby said latch bar is limited to a substantially rectilinear path and is held in engagement with the striker during the first part of its movement and is subsequently swung in the guide to release the striker.

l5. In combination, a vehicle body having a reinforcing bar extending peripherally about its rear end, said bar having an outstanding slotted flange, -a connectingmember passing across the body from side to side near the upper rear edge, a door pivotally hung on said connecting member, said door being adapted to seat against the slotted flange, a striker on said door, a guide carried by the body adjacent the slot in the fiange, a latch bar having sliding and swinging movements in said guide and slot and includingv an arm at an angle to the remainder thereof, a forwardly extending operating rod pivoted to the arm, said rod, when in rearmost position, causing the arm to contact with the guide and swinging the remainder of the bar away from the striker, and when in other positions tending to swing the bar about the guide and into contact with the striker whereupon the bar may be drawn-forwardly by said rod substantially longitudinally of the vehicle.

.16. In combination, a vehicle body having a reinforcing bar extending peripherally.

about its rear end, said bar having an outstanding slotted flange, a connecting member passing across the body from side to side near the upper rear edge, a door pivotally hung on said connecting member, said door being adapted to seat against the slotted othe bar in said guide and away from the iange, a striker on said door, a guide carstriker, said n1eans,vv11en in other positions, 1G .ried by the body adjacent kthe slot in the tending to swing the bar about the guide iange, a` latch bar having sliding and swingand into contact with the striker vwhereupon 5 ing movements in said guide and s10t,nieans' the bar may be drawn forwardly by said rod coperating -with saidbar for causing a p0rsubstantiallylongitudinally of the vehicle. tion thereof to contact with the guide when in rearniost position and thereafter swinging GARFIELD A. WOOD. 

